Demand-driven system boosts student numbers

The federal government’s lifting of restrictions on enrolments that individual universities could accept had boosted student numbers this year by more than 30,000, Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills, Science and Research, Senator Chris Evans, told the Universities Australia conference last week.

“Some 220,000 university offers have been made this year, an increase of more than 4% on last year,” Evans said. “Student places are up 27% since 2007 [when the Labor government was first elected] and that means 150,000 additional students are now getting a university education in Australia.”

Taking the opportunity to spell out the government’s achievements in higher education to the nation’s vice-chancellors and their senior executives, Evans said one in six of the additional students were from low socio-economic backgrounds and many were the first in their families to go to university.

Growth in enrolments had been strong across disciplines such as health and engineering, and the nation was on track to reach the government’s 2025 target for 40% of 25- to 34-year-old Australians to have a bachelor or higher degree.

“In fact, the latest ABS figures reveal that women have already met that target,” he said.

“I am pleased to report that we have also met our target to double the number of Australian Postgraduate Awards [APAs]: this year we have funded close to 10,000 APAs compared to almost 5,000 in 2008. This mirrors a doubling of the number of postgraduate coursework students, which this year is expected to reach 35,000, up from just 16,500 in 2007.”

The government had also invested in schemes aimed at attracting and retaining early and mid-career researchers, and developed a strategy that mapped out the nation’s research needs and the vision for a strong, productive research workforce.

Referring to his own expanded role following a reshuffle of cabinet by Prime Minister Julia Gillard earlier this month, Evans said she had made a “very deliberate decision to bring tertiary education, skills, science and research together in one portfolio”.

He said the structure of the new portfolio would allow the government to better align skills training, higher education and research to the needs of industry and the economy.

Since 2008, the government had invested nearly A$5 billion (US$5.3 billion) in research and teaching infrastructure across Australia, Evans said.

The extra money had resulted in new libraries, ‘cutting-edge’ science and computer laboratories, student-centred learning hubs, engineering pavilions and research facilities. The teaching, learning and research experience for staff and students on campuses in every state and territory had been transformed.

“In addition to this historic injection of capital investment, the government is also delivering an additional $3 billion [in university grants] as a result of increased indexation. I know that is dear to the heart of every vice-chancellor.

“After a decade of cuts and neglect under the [conservative] Howard government, universities are now being supported to deliver the high-quality education Australia needs to maintain a competitive edge. Since 2007, funding to universities has increased by more than 50%.”

Referring to changes to Australia’s rules on foreign students studying at university, Evans said the government had “worked hard to set a framework that ensures we have the best safeguards to protect both students and the reputation of brand Australia – very important in my view”.

He said the introduction of streamlined visa processing arrangements for university applicants, enhanced post-study work options and reductions in visa financial requirements had resulted in a simpler system for students and providers.

Commenting on the potentially catastrophic drop in overseas student numbers, due in large part to tighter restrictions on issuing student visas and the rising value of the Australian dollar, Evans said the enrolment decline was largely confined to private vocational education colleges.

The fall in international students is expected to see earnings from exporting education plummet from $18 billion five years ago to $13 billion this year. The government had introduced the reforms to stop “visa rorting”, he said.

Also, the government’s international education advisory council was developing a five- year national strategy “to support the ongoing quality and sustainability of the international education sector.

“We also need to have a clear vision about the critical role international education can continue to play as part of our ongoing engagement with Asia. Asia is home to the two major source countries of China and India, which together accounted for more than 40% of the total number of international students enrolled with Australian providers in 2011,” Evans said.

This demand was likely to increase and the government needed to consider how best to respond to the opportunities that would accompany this growth, he said. The development of an Asian White Paper, with a focus on the ‘Asian Century’, would present new opportunities for education to again lead Australia’s engagement with Asia.

“Our engagement in the past few decades has largely been one-sided, dominated by Asian students studying in and experiencing Australia. If we are to really engage and understand Asia we need to do much more on the other side of the ledger.

“Australian students, tomorrow’s leaders, need to understand and experience Asia first hand.”